On Par has a short but cunningly designed nine hole golf course with a fiendishly challenging layout. Each hole is set inside sloping boundaries that make you feel that you could be playing by yourselves with no other golfers in sight.

Heron’s Haunt

Hole 1. This par four is a risk reward hole. Take on the ponds at your peril and beware of the out of bounds to the left bordering the driving range.

Kingfisher Corner

Hole 2. The next hole is a dogleg left unless you take the direct route over the poplar trees but be wary of the pond that eats into the left hand side just short of the green. Putting on this green is certainly a challenge.

Magpie’s Hideaway

Hole 3. A slight dogleg left unless one is tempted to take the direct route over the rise. Watch out for the gulley to the left and the out of bounds on the left hand side with it’s raised green it is imperative that your second shot is the right length.

Woodpecker’s Knock

Hole 4. The last and longest of the par four holes. The opening shot needs to be very accurate otherwise you could be in the valley or in water or maybe even out of bounds to the left. A tricky approach then faces you with a bunker just short of the green.

Blackcaps Song

Hole 5. A testing par three with a bunker guarding the approach to the green. The banking on either side and to the back of the hole can be used to arrest an exuberant shot.

Buzzards Rise

Hole 6. One then climbs to the top of the bank to survey the superb panorama in front of Little Downham and the surrounding countryside. A downhill shot then faces the golfer, too long and one could be scrabbling in the hedge at the back of the green or even out of bounds. Shorter right and a bunker will devour your ball, with a sloping green your putt has to be the right pace.

Kestrel’s Hunt

Hole 7. From the back tree one can only see the left hand side bunker of the two that gate post the green. A full shot may be held by the banking at the back of the hole but be very aware of the ditch that worms its way around the right hand side of the hole.

Crow’s Nest

Hole 8. Another climb to the top of the bank will then reveal the ship of the fens, Ely Cathedral but even more eye catching is the large half moon shaped bunker blocking the front of the green. Use enough club and the banking at the back of the green will come to your aid.

Blue Tit’s Hangout

Hole 9. The final hole can bring joy or despair. A pond waits to swallow any ball falling short of the green, whilst a bunker on the left hand side of the green may arrest any ball if you’re lucky enough not to go too far and out of bounds. The blue birds on the bird feeder may help bring back some sanity.